The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a directive, providing department stores, outlet chains, and retailers with a 15-day window to eliminate any food items carrying halal certification from their inventory.

Moreover, the government has mandated 92 State-based manufacturers, who had obtained halal certification for their products from non-certified organizations, to either recall their items within Uttar Pradesh or repackage them. Taking a decisive stance on November 18, the State officially prohibited the manufacturing, distribution, storage, and retailing of food items bearing halal certification.

Subsequent to this decision, officials conducted inspections across approximately 500 establishments in various districts and 97 locations throughout the state to identify halal-certified goods. As of now, authorities have seized about 3,000 kg of halal-certified goods, with an estimated value of Rs 7 to 8 lakh.

Four Companies Face FIR by UP Police for Irregularities in Halal Certification

The government has transferred the case involving four companies accused of irregularities in halal certification to the Special Task Force (STF) of the U.P. police from the Hazratganj police station.

The FIR has been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 120B (criminal conspiracy), 384 (extortion), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), and 298 (intent to wound religious feelings). The complaint was lodged by a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) office-bearer.

The BJYM representative alleged that certain companies falsely certified products as halal to boost sales within a specific community for monetary gains, constituting forgery and cheating.

Anita Singh, Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration, addressed the matter, confirming that companies involved in irregularities have been banned and instructed to register with NABCB (National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies).

Singh stated, “As of now, there are only three organizations in India, including one in Lucknow, which is registered with the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) under I-CAS, authorized to give halal certification to meat and meat products for export. In addition to this, there are 700-800 organizations across India that have been issuing halal certification. We have banned all such products until these companies register with NABCB,” in an interview with a news agency.

Retailers and Supermarket Chains Request One Month Extension from Government

Commissioner Anita Singh has stated that the Retailers Association of India and chains like Spencer had requested a month’s time to remove halal-certified products from their shelves, but they have been granted only 15 days.

The Department of Food Safety has already confiscated various halal-certified food items, including sugar, oil, bakery goods, sauces, and rice. These products have been manufactured in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gurgaon.

Singh mentioned that for the next two weeks, the department will conduct inspections to ensure compliance with the new directive, but no punitive measures will be taken until retailers and other sellers have completed the recall of halal-certified products.

Halal, in this context, refers to products, services, or systems deemed lawful (Tayeib) or permissible under Islamic Shariah law. Such products do not contain any forbidden (haram) elements according to Islamic law, and the actions involved are in accordance with Shariah without any associated punishment.